Feeding apparatus, including injectors adapted to supply combustion liquids under pressure to a combustion chamber



June 26, 1951 R. H. GODDARD 2,558,483

FEEDING APPARATUS, INCLUDING INJECTORS ADAPTED TO SUPPLY COMBUSTION LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE TO A COMBUSTION CHAMBER Filed May 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet ln GIG/W75? 5 Fan.

OXYGEN IN VEN TOR.

BY ATTORNEY 4 June 26, 1951 GODDARD 2,558,483

FEEDING APPARATUS, INCLUDING INJECTORS ADAPTED T0 SUPPLY COMBUSTION LIQUIDSUNDER PRESSURE I TO A COMBUSTION CHAMBER Filed May 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIFE IN VEN TOR.

1mm. aod md,

BY ATTORNEX ezw w Patented June 26, 1951 FEEDING APPARATUS, INCLUDING INJEC- TORS ADAPTED TO SUPPLY COMBUSTION LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE TO A COM- BUSTION CHADIBER Robert H. Goddard, Annapolis, Md.; Esther C. Goddard, executrix of said Robert H. Goddard, deceased, assignor of one-half to The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 20, 1944, Serial No. 536,558

Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding liquid combustion elements, such as gasoline and liquid oxygen, to a chamber in which combustion is to be maintained. Such combustion chambers are commonly provided with rearwardly-open discharge nozzles and have particular utility in rocket apparatus and in other jet-propelled mechanisms.

It is the general object of my invention to provide feeding apparatus involving the use of injectors in such manner that the apparatus is capable of generating much higher feeding pressures than are maintained in the storage or supply tanks.

In the preferred form, the injectors are operated in part by gases from the combustion chamber and in part by steam evolved in the combustion chamber jacket. In a modified form, the injectors are operated by vapors of the liquid fuel and liquid oxygen which are evolved in separate combustion chamber jacket spaces.

I also provide both low pressure and high pressure injectors and utilize these injectors successively to maintain efficiency as the operating pressures increase.

Other features of the invention relate to the provision of novel quick-starting means and to the provision of auxiliary pressure tanks which may also be used in starting.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of my improved feeding apparatus;

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail sectional views to be described;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a special check valve to be described; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation of a modified feeding apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a combustion chamber C and a series of storage tanks T, TI and T2 designed to contain liquid oxygen, gasoline and water respectively. In place of gasoline, any other liquid fuel, such as methane or propane, may be used.

I have also provided low pressure injectors I. and II and high pressure injectors l2 and [3 for Any suitable flame igniter G is provided for the chamber C, such as is shown, for instance, in my prior Patent No. 2,090,039. The injectors H), H, [2 and [3 are indicated as of the Venturi type and for further disclosure of such an injector, reference is made to Free Patent No. 1,689,667, issued October 30, 1928.

A jacketed feed pipe I5 connects the oxygen storage tank T through a shut-off valve It to the low pressure injector l0 and through a shut-off valve ii to the high pressure injector H. A pipe 20 similarly connects the fuel tank T1 through a valve 2! to the low pressure injector H and through a valve 22 to the high pressure injector I3.

The oxygen injectors I0 and 12 are connected through a pipe 2 and check valve 25 to an outer nozzle structure 26 to be described, and the fuel injectors H and i3 are similarly connected through a pipe 21 and check valve 28 to an inner nozzle element 29. A pipe 30 connects the combustion chamber C (Fig. 2) through a check valve 31 (Fig. l) and shut-off valves 3233 to the injectors I! and [3 respectively and through an extension 30a and shut-off valves 36 and 31 to the injectors Ii] or IE respectively. Suitable drainage pipes 46, 4!, 42 and 43 are provided for the several injectors and a suitable shut-off valve 44 is provided in each drainage pipe. The water tank T2 is connected through a feed pipe and shut-off valve 5! to a jacket space 52 surrounding the combustion chamber C.

A bleed pipe 53 connects the feed pipe 50 to an annular recess 56 (Fig. 2) surrounding the intake connection 55 from the combustion chamber C to the pipe 36 previously described. The recess 54 has an annular open port 5% through which a relatively small amount of water may be delivered to the pipe 30 and the combustion chamber jacket space 52 has a similar annular open port 51 through which steam may be delivered to the pipe 30.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, a bleed pipe 53a is similarly connected through an annular recess 54a and port 56a to the pipe 30, but the jacket space 52a is connected through an open annular port 51a to the atmosphere.

Each of the injectors Hi to !3 comprises a cylindrical outer casing within which a draft or Venturi tube 66 is mounted in a partition 6 I.

The preferred construction of the nozzle structures 26 and 20 is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the inner or fuel nozzle element 29 is provided with a conical end 62 having a plurality of radiating ports 63, and the outer structure 26 has a concave end portion 65 with a plurality of radiating ports 66. It will be evident from Fig. i that jets of fuel ejected through the openings 63 in the conical head 62 will intersect jets of liquid oxygen ejected through the ports 66 of the concave end portion 65 of the structure 26. It will also be evident from Fig. 5 that the jets of fuel and oxygen are circumferentially out of alignment, so that the jets of fuel are delivered in radial planes alternating with jets of oxygen. In this way, very rapid and complete mixtureof the combustion liquids will take place.

For starting purposes, I provide a small tank T3 containing a limited amount of water and connected by a pipe 68 and valve 6% to the pipe system iiii3ta previously described. A heating coil to is provided for the tank T3 and any suitable burner is indicated at H. The tank T3 may be filled through a pipe 12 and valve 13.

. The tank is preferably heat-insulated, so that steam may be retained for considerable periods and may thus be available for immediate use in starting combustion.

Having described the details of construction of the preferred form of my invention, the method of operation is as follows:

The tanks T, T! and T2 are largely filled with liquid oxygen, liquid fuel and water respectively, and the upper portion of each tank is supplied with nitrogen gas N through feed pipes 75 and valves 78. A moderate pressure, such as fifty pounds per square inch, is thus maintained in each tank.

The pilot igniter G is first started, projecting a flame produced by separately supplied liquid fuel and oxygen into the chamber C, and the valve 51 is then opened to admit water to the jacket space 52 and bleed pipe 53. The heat of the igniter flame promptly generates steam in the jacket space 52, which flows through the annular port 5? (Fig. 2) to the pipe 30, along with gases from the igniter flame and water from the bleed pipe 53.

For more rapid starting, the burner ll may be utilized to develop steam in the coil and tank T3, which steam may then be admitted to the pipes 38-4611 by opening the valve 69. As soon as the pressure is thus built up in the pipes 33-3tm the valves 32 and 36 are opened to start injector action in the low pressure injectors H and it, whereupon the valves 55 and 2| are opened to supply the injectors l0 and H with liquid oxygen and gasoline respectively.

' The Venturi action of the injectors H] and H quickly steps up the liquid pressures from fifty pounds per square inch to a substantially higher pressure, such as 160 lbs. per square inch, and the liquids under the increased pressure are delivered through the check valves 25 and 28 to the nozzle elements 2% and 29, through which the liquids are sprayed into the combustion chamber C, as" indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

As soon as combustion is well started in the chamber C, a substantial combustion gas pressure will be built up in the chamber C and a substantial steam pressure in the jacket space 52. Further operation of the pilot igniter G may then be discontinued and the valve 69 will be closed to shut off the tank T3. As soon as the apparatus is in full operation, the valves ll, 22, 33 and 3! are to be opened and the valves is, 2!, 32 and 36 are to be closed, thus shutting off the low pressure injectors l0 and H and placing the high pressure injectors l2 and I3 in operation. This shift from low pressure to high pressure injectors greatly increases the eiiiciency of the apparatus, as the low pressure injectors become very ineificient under high pressure operation. Wheneverthe apparatus is put out of operation, the drainage valves 44 are opened to prevent undue accumulation of liquids in the injectors.

It will thus be evident that with the apparatus above described, I am able to maintain very moderate pressures in the storage tanks T, TI

and T2, while at the same time the injectors may be utilized to build up any desired operating pressures for the nozzle elements 28 and 29. These operating pressures may be on the order of 100 lbs. per square inch for the low pressure injectors,

and 300 lbs. or more per square inch for the high pressure injectors.

The opening and closing of the various shutoff valves may be done manually or they may be automatically operated and controlled by any desired type of control mechanism and according to a predetermined sequence. Such control mechanism is shown in my prior Patent No. 2,397,657, issued April 2', 1946.

The check valves 25 and 28 (Fig. l) are preferably of the low-resistance construction shown in Fig. 6, in which a cylindrical valve member I5 is slidable in thin radial vanes or guides 76, so shaped that the valve member 15 may move freely to the left to close the port I! but will be prevented from moving far enough to the right to close the discharge passage 18. The inner casing of the valve 28 and also the surface of the valve member '55 are both streamlined to present minimum resistance to the flow of liquid through the valve. These streamlined contours, together with the increased diameter of the easing about the valve member, permits liquid to flow through the valve in one direction only but practically without interference or reduction in rate of flow.

In Fig.7 I have shown a modified construction in which vapors or gases from the combustion elements are utilized to operate the injectors, instead of using a mixture of steam and combustion gases as previously described.

In Fig. '7 I have shown a combustion chamber Ci having a jacket divided by an annular partition 89 into jacket spaces 8| and 82. I have also shown pressure storage tanks T5 and T6 for liquid oxygen and for gasoline or other liquid fuel. Injectors are shown at M and 85, which injectors may be of the same construction as the injectors it and it previously described and are operative to produce pressures which are substantially higher than the original tank pressures.

A. shut-off valve 86 and a check valve 87 are provided in a feed pipe 88 which connects the tank T5 to the injector 84, and a similar shut-off valve 9t and'check valve Q! are provided in a feed pipe 92 which connects the tank T6 to the injector %5.' A pipefi l connects the jacket space 8! with the injector 8d and isprovided with a check valve 95 and with a pressure control or regulating valve 96. The jacket space 82 is similarly connected by a pipe 97 to' the injector 35 and is provided with a check valve 98 and with a pressure'control or regulating valve 99.

The discharge or outlet end of the injector 84 is connected by a pipe its to the combustion chamber Cl and is provided with shut-off valves It! and [E92, a check valve W3 and a pressureresponsive relief valve Hit. The discharge end of the injector is similarly connected to the combustion chamber Cl by a pipe Hi3 having shut-off valves HI and H2, a check valve H3 and a pressure-responsive relief valve H4.

A pipe H55 connects the discharge end of the injector 843 to the jacket space 8| and a similar pipe Ill connects the injector 85 to the jacket space 82. i

For quick starting purposes, a tank T1 is com nected by pipes iii] and I2! to the pipe Ifill previously described and these branch pipes are provided with shut-off valves i232 and E23. The tank T1 contains a supply of liquid oxygen and is preferably under relatively high pressure. A similar tank T8 for fuel under pressure is connected. by pipes I 38 and iii to the pipe Ill] previously described and these pipes are provided with shut-off valves E32 and E33. A flame-type of igniter GI is provided for the chamber Cl and this igniter also may be of the construction shown in my prior Patent No. 2,090,639. Feed pipes ME! and E i! are provided for the tanks T5 and T6 and are equipped with shut-off valves M2 and I43. These pipes supply nitrogen gas under pressure as in the construction shown in Fig. 1.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 7 may be operated either with or without making use of the pressure tanks Ti and T8. The operation without using the tanks Tl and T3 will first be described.

It is desirable that a certain amount of liquid and gaseous oxygen be present in the jacket space 8i and that a similar amount of liquid or gaseous fuel or gasoline be present in the jacket space 82. This preliminary oxygen supply to the space 8i may be secured by closing the valves Hi2 and i222 and by temporarily opening the valve 85 to supply oxygen from the tank T5 through the injector M to the feed pipe Hi6. Gasoline may similarly be supplied to the space 82 by closing the valves i ii and H32 and by temporarily opening the valve 953. The flame or pilot igniter G! is then started and the heat of the flame is suincient to produce more gases or vapors in the jacket spaces 8! and 82. The oxygen vapor in the space 8! will then flow through the pipe 94, regulating valve 535 and check valve 95 to the injector ,84 and thence through the pipe Hit] and its several valves to the chamber Cl, assuming that the valves it! and H92 have been opened and that the valves i222 and H23 are closed.

If the valve 86 is then opened, liquid oxygen will be drawn through the pipe 83 to the injector EM and will be thereby injected at a relatively high pressure to the chamber Cl. Similarly, gasoline vapor will fiow through the pipe 9'! to the injector 85 and thence through the pipe lit to the combustion chamber Cl, and will carry with it a supply of liquid gasoline under high pressure as soon as the valve 90 is opened.

The resultant mixture of oxygen and gasoline in the chamber CI will then be ignited by the flame from the pilot igniter G! and increasing amounts of gaseous oxygen and gasoline will be .elivered from the jacket spaces 81 and 82. The regulating valves 95 and as control the rate of flow of these gases to the injectors and thus prevent the injection of undesired amounts of liquid oxygen and gasoline to the chamber Cl. After the desired combustion gas pressure has been built up in the chamber Cl, the pilot igniter GI may be shut off.

The oxygen and gasoline in the jacket spaces 8! and 82 is continuously replenished through the connections H 5 and I ii. The check valves Hi3 and I I3 are set to open at the high pressures developed by the injectors but not at the rela- 6. tively low pressure in the tanks T5 and T5. The check valves and 98 prevent reverse flow in the pipes 94 and 9'1.

The pressure relief valves its and H4 are provided to prevent bursting of the pipes We and I ll), should evaporation produce dangerous pressure in either of these pipes after the valves l0! and Ill have been closed to discontinue operations.

The pressure tanks T? and T8 constitute auxiliary starting equipment which may be used should occasion require. These tanks may be filled with liquid at high pressure by temporarily closing the valves Hi2 and 523 for the tank T1 and opening the valve I22 when the apparatus is in operation. This will cause the liquid oxygen which is under high pressure in the pipe I00 to enter the tank T1 and to compress any gas or vapor in the top of the tank to any desired pressure, which pressure may then be retained by closing the valve 22. A similar procedure may be used to fill the tank Ts with gasoline under high pressure. By thereafter opening the valve I23 for the tank Tl, liquid oxygen under high pressure may be fed direct to the chamber C5, and similarly by opening the valve I33 for the tank Til, gasoline under high pressure may be fed direct to the chamber Ci. It is thus possible to start combustion in the chamber Cl very quickly and without waiting for the injectors B6 and $5 to become operative.

I have thus provided improved and simplified means by which liquid combustion elements may be fed. to a combustion chamber under high pressures developed in the feeding apparatus itself and without requiring auxiliary pumps or other similar apparatus. The liquid feeding device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is not claimed herein but forms the subject matter of a divisional application Serial No. 656,316, filed March 22, 1946, now Patent No. 2,482,260, issued September 20, 1949. The modified construction shown in Fig. '7 is not claimed herein but forms the subject matter of a second divisional application, Serial No. 131,461, filed December 6, 1949.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber and low pressure storage tanks for liquid fuel and liquid oxygen, in combination, separate Venturi-type injectors connecting said tanks to said combustion chamber and operative to feed said liquid fuel and liquid oxygen from said tanks to said combustion chamber at relatively higher pressures, a jacket for said combustion chamber, means to feed water to said jacket and to thereby generate steam under pressure by the heat in said chamber, operating steam connections effective to convey steam from said jacket space to said injectors and to thereby effect feeding action at said higher pressures by said steam in said injectors, and means to mix combustion gases under pressure from said chamber with the steam from said jacket space for simultaneous delivery to said injectors.

2. The combination in combustion apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which means is provided to feed a small amount of water direct to said injectors with said steam and adjacent the point of delivery of said combustion gases and to thereby provide additional steam to operate said injectors.

'3. In a combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber and two low pressure storage tanks containing liquid fuel and liquid oxygen respectively, in combination, separate Venturi-type injectors operated to feed said liquid fuel and said liquid oxygen from said tanks to said combustion chamber at substantially increased pressures, additional injectors operative to feed said liquid fuel and said liquid oxygen from said tanks to said combustion chamber at further substantially increased and higher pressures, connections from said tanks to said injectors and from said injectors to said combustion chamber, and means to supply an operative fluid under pressure to said injectors, and manual means to selectively control the flow of said liquids from said tanks to a selected injector and the flow of said operative fluid to said selected injector, and to render said selected low or high pressure injector operative, whereby alternate operation of said injectors may be attained.

4. In a combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber and low pressure storage tanks for liquid fuel and liquid oxygen, in combination, separate Venturi-type injectors operative to feed said liquid fuel and liquid oxygen from said tanks to said combustion chamber, connections from said tanks to said injectors and from said injectors to said combustion chamber, means to control flow of said liquids from said tanks to said injectors, additional connections from said combustion chamber. tosaid injectors, which connections supply combustion gases at substantially higher than storage-tank pressure to said injectors, additional means to supply Water to said combustion gases and to thereby develop steam which further increases the effectiveness of the injectors, and means to control the flow in said latter connections.

5. In a combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber and low pressure storage tanks containing liquid fuel and liquid oxygen, in combination, two pairs of injectors operative 8 to separately feed liquid fuel and liquid oxygen from said tanks to said combustion chamber, one pair of said injectors being operative to inject said liquids to said chamber at substantially increased pressures and the other pair being mounted in parallel to said first pair and being operative to inject said liquids to said chamber at further substantially increased and higher pressures, connections from said tanks to said injectors and from said injectors to said combustion chamber, and devices effective to control the flow of said two liquids from said tanks to said injectors, and selective means to supply either pair of injectors with an operative fluid under pressure.

ROBERT E. GODDARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,459,482 Underwood June 19, 1923 1,632,402 Grant June 14, 1927 1,665,145 Peltz Apr. 3, 1928 1,676,933 Stancliffe July 10, 1928 1,689,667 Free Oct. 30, 1923 1,777,097 Lasley Sept. 30, 1930 1,616,205 Biedermann July 28, 1931 1,874,848 Babb Aug. 30, 1932 1,986,358 Ras'nridge Jan. 1, 1935 2,101,175 Gustafsson Dec. 7, 1937 2,406,925 Summerfield Sept. 3, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 276,911 Italy Aug. 22, 1930 278,790 Great Britain Oct. 10, 1927 358,569 France Dec. 22, 1965 OTHER REFERENCES Astronautics, Journal of the American Patent Society, No. 34, June 1936, pages 9 and 11. 

